Gospel of John [17:7-10]. The Lord's priestly prayer; part 8. Gal 5:13-16; Php 2:3-4; 2Co 4.

Title: Gospel of John [17:7-10]. The Lord's priestly prayer; part 8. GAL 5:13-16; Php 2:3-4; 2Co 4.

 

Announcements/opening prayer: 

 

 

JOH 17:1 These things Jesus spoke; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify Thy Son, that the Son may glorify Thee,

 

JOH 17:2 even as Thou gavest Him authority over all mankind, that to all whom Thou hast given Him, He may give eternal life.

 

JOH 17:3 "And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent.

 

JOH 17:4 "I glorified Thee on the earth, having accomplished the work which Thou hast given Me to do.

 

JOH 17:5 "And now, glorify Thou Me together with Thyself, Father, with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was.

 

JOH 17:6 "I manifested Thy name [person and character] to the men whom Thou gavest Me out of the world; Thine they were, and Thou gavest them to Me, and they have kept Thy word.

 

JOH 17:7 "Now they have come to know that everything Thou hast given Me is from Thee [His humanity did not originate anything but relied completely on the Father];

 

JOH 17:8 for the words which Thou gavest Me I have given to them; and they received them, and truly understood that I came forth from Thee, and they believed that Thou didst send Me.

 

The 'world' as a whole had failed to recognize Jesus as the Revealer of the Father, but a select company of men and women was given to Him 'out of the world' - those who are called His own people. To them He gave the words of the Father, which would eventually complete the NT and those words will accomplish the purpose for which they were sent.

 

Through their willingness and tenacity the disciples were able to be a part of this.

 

He speaks of them as the success stories they will be though they are struggling spiritually at this time. This is a exhibition of agape love.

 

The disciples, though struggling with much of the doctrine presently, desired and were willing to do the will of God. Their yielding and tenacity would bring them to understanding.

 

Because of this desire they were able to discern that the words Christ spoke came from the Father, and if the words did, then He did also.

 

JOH 7:16 Jesus therefore answered them, and said, "My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me.

 

He graciously gave it to the humanity of Christ and He also graciously gives it to all of His brethren who are willing.

 

JOH 7:17 "If any man is willing to do His will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God, or whether I speak from Myself.

JOH 7:18 "He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.

 

They are still struggling with their faith, but the Lord prays for them as He knows they soon will be. Arrogant Christians compete with others for knowledge dominance. Instead of building one another up, or bearing one another's burdens, or encouraging one another and stimulating one another to love and good deeds, they bite and devour one another.

 

GAL 5:13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

 

GAL 5:14 For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, " You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

 

GAL 5:15 But if you bite and devour one another, take care lest you be consumed by one another.

 

GAL 5:16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.

 

This is arrogance which is found in every area of life where knowledge of any subject is esteemed. All who seek His glory will find it. All who are willing to do His will are going to know the truth. God did not exclude the truth from any believer who is willing to know it. He died for the whole world, including the unbeliever. How is it that He would exclude certain ones who are His children from knowing His truth?

 

ROM 8:31-32

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?

 

And the mind of Christ has love as its chief virtue:

 

Php 2:3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself;

 

Php 2:4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

 

Literally: "do not look at your own things" The neuter article "things" would refer to all things considered yours; material and immaterial.

 

Those who believe that God gives them things that He will not give to others are selfish and conceited. Do they regard others as more important than themselves? "Merely" is not in the original language. It flat out says "do not look at your own things". Things is simply a neuter article and it would refer to all things yours including interests and affairs as well as material things. God has watch over these things. You keep your eyes on Him and others.

 

This obviously does not mean to completely disregard your needs in terms of health care, hygiene, work necessary to provide for yourself and your family, etc. That is the a ludicrous interpretation. It is a spiritual eye on Christ and others.

 

Jesus now prays for His disciples.

 

JOH 17:9 "I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom Thou hast given Me; for they are Thine;

 

JOH 17:10 and all things that are Mine are Thine, and Thine are Mine; and I have been glorified in them.

 

Because He does ask on behalf of the world doesn't mean that He doesn't care about the world. He is in fact the Savior of the world. He understands as we all should that the salvation of those in the world depends on the gospel which is going to come from His witnesses while He sits in heaven. Of course the witnesses will only do so under the power of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit uses the positive Christian witness as an instrument in His common grace ministry.

 

The salvation of the unbeliever depends on the witnesses of the gospel. Therefore, He prays for the witnesses. It is they who need His intercession.

 

He will leave the responsibility of this witness in their hands and He will give them the gift of the Holy Spirit. They take care of that responsibility and so they glorify Him through their witness, which is not just the words of the gospel but the reflection of the gospel believed and acted upon within themselves.

 

2CO 4:1 Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart,

 

Not losing heart is seeing the value in the ministry of being a witness for Christ in a world full of prisoners. By seeing it we do not quit on it for the hope of a life of earthly comfort and peer acceptance.  

 

2CO 4:2 but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

 

2CO 4:3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,

 

2CO 4:4 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

 

2CO 4:5 For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus' sake.

 

2CO 4:6 For God, who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness," [GEN 1:3] is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

 

2CO 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels [all that is freely given to each believer], that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves;

 

2CO 4:8 we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing;

 

2CO 4:9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;

 

This is because of our witness of the light in a dark world. In the world you will have tribulation but cheer up, I have overcome the world. Here Paul refers to the things that will confront the expert witness of Christ. Being under affliction, but not destruction. Being perplexed by those who persecute but not despairing over them. Being persecuted but though we may find ourselves alone in our endeavor we are never forsaken by our Lord. Being struck down but not ever destroyed.

 

2CO 4:10 always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.

 

The dying of Jesus would not here refer to the suffering itself, which has been addressed. That suffering should never enter our inner peace and tranquility.